The Eyes Have Me

Epilogue

3 years later -

I am 22-years-old, Axel is 26-years-old, Abel, Callie, and Mylo are 24-years-old. Granpa Brown died four days ago, and his funeral was this morning, and I was sadly impressed how many people showed for his funeral. I knew he had affected the town and people, but I wasn't aware how much he had positively impacted people until this morning when his funeral was packed.

"Babe, we should head back to the Inn," I softly tell Axel as I stop to stand next to him while carrying our three-month-old daughter. "Mary called to say people are starting to arrive for granpa's luncheon."

Axel tilts his head down slightly toward me with teary eyes; "Okay baby. Are the boys ready to leave?"

"Yeah, they are waiting at the car with Mylo and Callie. Abel, and the staff are on their way back to the Inn to make sure everything is ready," I answer as I gently shift my hold on the baby.

"Okay, thanks baby," he murmurs as he wipes his eyes free of the tears as he carefully takes Ashland from me.

Humming in reply as I fondly watch them together. Axel softly kisses Ashland on her forehead before we start walking away from Granpa's headstone toward the car.

"Boys, inside the car, please," I gently request after Axel has placed and buckled Ashland in her car seat, and is now out of the back seat.

Our son's are Patrick James Brown, and Edward Reid Brown. Patrick is 5-years-old, and Edward is 3-years-old, and we adopted them both on the day they were born, like we did with Ashland Marie. Patrick is named after granpa Brown, and Edward is named after Axel and me. Ashland's middle name is my mum's.

I buckle Edward into his car seat as Axel makes sure Patrick has buckled himself correctly before we both climb into the car. I am driving us home since I believe Axel just needs to relax as much as possible from here to the Inn before we deal with the luncheon for a couple of hours. We now own and run the Inn as granpa gave us the Inn in his will, but we actually took over a year and a half ago when granpa wanted us, too.

"He really was loved by everyone he met," Axel murmurs in tearful awe as we park at the Inn, we find the parking lot nearly full, and we climb out of the car to help the boys out and fetch Ashland.

"Daddy, Ashalnd's crying," Patrick tells me worriedly as he doesn't like when his siblings cry for any reason; opening the back door, Patrick climbs out so I can take Ashland from her car seat as Axel helps Edward from his car seat and the car.

"Papa, can we go to uncle Mylo, and aunt Callie?" Patrick asks for himself and Edward as he looks hopefully up at Axel.

Axel nods in permission, and the boys run over to them. Callie and Mylo happily hug both boys . Callie is seven months pregnant with her and Mylo's first child, and they are having a girl that they are going to name Madison Anne.

Axel carries Ashland in his left arm as he and I lace our fingers together while we walk toward the front door of the Inn. Axel looks down at me with a sad smile, and I lean up slightly to kiss him on the cheek in silent support and understanding.

Life might have taken me down a path I wasn't prepared for, but I couldn't begin to explain how grateful that my life has come where it is. The eyes have led me right where I am supposed to be with my Axel, our three beautiful children, our friends, Abel and Kade, who yes are together in a relationship.